gun noise and indoor range etiquette

[Pharmacology]

I had one guy with a beretta 96 covered in lasers and flashlights showing off to a girl in the lane next to me... "... this is how SEALs shoot" etc...
I hadn't heard any of this as I was in the firing bay, but my brother was glancing over occasionally. I was setting up the 590 (indoor range allows shotguns) while this was happening.

Well, while he was loading up an extended magazine for his beretta, I happened set off about 6 slugs all in about 4 seconds.

As I fired, the guy became so startled that he flinched, dropped the magazine, the rounds he was holding and his bravado onto the floor, causing my brother to just about lose a lung laughing his butt off.

The guy left shortly thereafter

 

[NavyLCDR]

Actually, I think there is great benefit to the big boomers at an indoor range. It can be used to teach a person to fully concentrate on the task at hand, which is putting lead on target from your own gun, REGARDLESS of what is going on in the environment around you. That would be a pretty darn important task to be proficient at if the S ever HTF!

It's a real hoot to shoot a S&W .460 at an indoor range. It even left black scorch marks on the dividing partitions .

 

[jakemccoy]

I used to have a problem with loud bangs, until I read a simple one-liner from somebody on this forum. He said something like, "Every bang sounds like freedom to me." At first, that seemed stupid. However, I figured what the heck. The next time I went to the range, I put myself into a mental space of having every bang remind me of freedom. It worked! I have gotten to the point that loud bangs don't bother me at all anymore. I'm able to concentrate pretty easily with any kind of loud bangs at the range.

 

[sonick808]

I've felt sheepish at times when being stared at for letting off the milsurp stuff.... I try to wait until anyone I can see is not shooting before I announce the 8mm or 7.62x54 presence. Flinching is inevitable when it goes off, i don't want to do it when others have guns in their hands on the line if i can avoid it. once they know i'm setting off big stuff, I just shoot whenever.

But yeah, I've kinda felt like a jerk sometimes I prefer to take the boomsticks outdoors and save the indoor stuff for pistol.... unless it's 140 degrees in which case it all goes indoors.

 

[sonick808]

"Every bang sounds like freedom to me."

Very nice! I like that... /adds to stash bag of wisdom

 

[ezypikns]

It's a little unnerving sometimes.

But if they're shooting stuff that's allowed, I couldn't possibly complain.

The one time I did get a little rattled was when a fellow in the bay next to me ripped off a few bursts on an MP5. I wasn't even aware that full auto was allowed.

Sure was neat watching him after I got used to it though.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I used to frequent an indoor range (Scottsdale Gun Club in AZ) that allowed elephant guns (rifles up to 8100 ft lb of muzzle smash) and rifle caliber machine guns. At first I waited for them to take a break in their shooting. As time went on I learned to "tune them out," so to speak. I purchased some "ears" with the highest NRR I could find as the range-provided ones were not quite up to the task, and learned to concentrate on my own shooting. By doing so I was able to essentially ignore what was going on next to me.

 

[sonick808]

nice Scottsdale is where I let off the boom in the scorching summer months. I try to pick a decent time to announce myself though

 

[NMGonzo]

I almost never double up when shooting - I wear muffs indoors and plugs outdoors. Do most of you guys wear both at once?

\
I do.

And if I take my GF or some other relative with me is doubling up.

Hearing is a precious thing.

 

[msb45]

I always double up on hearing protection and think about this way. If you're target shooting you need to concentrate to hit. If you're shooting to practice self defense you better get use to gunfire. The sound of inbound rounds will pale to ACTUAL INBOUND ROUNDS. If you'll diabled by sound you won't be able to fight back or probably survive.

 

[ShootALot523]

Where are the guys with the big guns supposed to shoot? There probably in the same situation you are, no outdoor range near by. Size of the caliber shouldn't matter if it is allowed in the range. I think the way someone fires the big guns matters more. If someone keeps unloading mag after mag like he's in combat, then that's seems rude to me. It's nice to have the luxury of an indoor range, many people have to drive far to get to one.

 

[SMMAssociates]

Our club outdoor range has a lot of safety rules, of course, but few restrictions on what. I think they might object to crew-served stuff that you tow behind the truck, but....

Indoors, the real issue, as I mentioned before, is the quality of the backstop v.s. some of the tankbuster rounds some guys like.... We avoid jacketed rounds because, prior to some rubber curtains, the jackets tended to come back at the shooters. The curtains pretty much fixed that, but the PTB haven't figured it out yet ....

Noise is really a non-issue....

Regards,

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Quite honestly, I do find it amusing when people go to a gun range and complain about the noise...like their own guns are so quiet.

 

[Kingofthehill]

Yup, double up.

Quality Equipment is a must, Careful with your hearing! I worked at a range calling for trap/skeet and i ruined my left ear. I used to pull my plug out a little bit so i could better hear them call for the clay.

STUPID! and young wanting a good tip. Oh well.... live and learn.

Anytime i shoot, nomatter where i put the molded radian's in and then my muff's. I shoot indoors as well and i can't hear a peep with that setup.

JOe

 

[Jumping Frog]

The other gun that really gives a nice ROAR is shooting off full power loads loads in .45 LC using black powder. Black powder just has a sound to it that smokeless powder never matches.

Although my local indoor ranges won't allow black powder shooting indoors. Heck, I've had some people get irritated by the smoky lube on my cast bullets, much less black powder.